Production of bacterial cellulose nanocrystals for the stabilization of nanoemulsions and transepithelial transport of drugs

Abstract

The use of nanoemulsioned colloidal emulsions without surfactant (which are capable of stabilizing through solid particles anchoring in the emulsion phases) has pharmacological and biopharmaceutical advantages, besides being present in ecologically friendly processes. An option capable of stabilizing emulsions is the application of cellulose nanocrystals (NCC), derived from bacterial cellulose. Bacterial cellulose is produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinus, devoid of lignin and hemicellulose, has high chemical purity, crystallinity, is metabolically inert, nontoxic and non-allergenic. The most used process of obtaining NCC generates environmental residues resulting from the use of acid hydrolysis techniques. A method for obtaining NCC with better characteristics and lower environmental damages is the enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis using cellulases. Cellulase is one of the multicomponent enzymatic systems capable of hydrolyzing ²- (1-4) -cellulose linkages. Due to all these aspects the present work will study the production of NCC for the stabilization of biomimetic colloidal systems based on nanostructured emulsions, for transepithelial transport of drugs. For this purpose, bacterial cellulose will be obtained by culturing G. xylinus bacteria. NCC will be formed with different combinations of cellulase concentrations. The samples will be evaluated in the NCC formation parameters, the NCC adsorption behavior at the interface of immiscible fluids, the effect of size, shape, concentration and hydrophobicity. Will be prepared formulations containing model drugs of groups 3 and 4 of the SCB. Evaluation of transepithelial permeation of drugs will be performed in vitro with synthetic membranes using Franz diffusion cells. The expected results are to obtain ideal conditions for the formation of NCC, to create emulsified systems stabilized by NCC and to improve the solubility and transepithelial permeability of model drugs. (AU)